Downtown’s The Coin Slot will soon be expanding to offer beer, outdoor seating and food trucks, multiple new tenants are opening at Logan’s Landing and East Bay Plaza, and several other local businesses are on the move in The Ticker’s latest look at retail and restaurant news.

The Coin Slot
Downtown video game arcade The Coin Slot is expanding to two levels at 346 East Front Street – a move that will accommodate new games, outdoor seating, food trucks and craft beer taps.

Owner Scott Pierson is expanding from the building’s lower level to also occupy the upper level effective June 1, when existing tenant Escape Salon will relocate to Logan’s Landing (see below). As part of a collaboration with The Workshop Brewing Company, which is obtaining a second location license, the arcade aims to offer five to six Workshop beers on tap by mid-summer. Pierson will also add outdoor seating to the property’s parking lot and host three food trucks on-site, including Wingz & Thingz, Rockwich and MIddleboys Savory Waffle Cones.

Combined with neighbor Tee See Tee – which is launching a new interactive retail storefront this summer – Pierson sees the two businesses as anchors for a vibrant family-friendly zone on the “underutilized” East Front corner. “The building is in such a prime location,” says Pierson, noting the expansion will bring The Coin Slot up to nearly 3,000 square feet hosting three dozen arcade and pinball games. “We’re excited to make something happen there.”

Logan’s Landing
The Coin Slot’s expansion will coincide with Escape Salon’s move to Logan’s Landing, which is set to welcome several new tenants this summer. Escape Salon owner Victoria Sylvester cites improvements made to the South Airport Road shopping center under new property manager Darraugh Opelski as a benefit of the site. “We’ve secured a really beautiful loft, and they’re totally fixing (the property) up with new landscaping and signage and roofing,” says Sylvester.

Opelski confirms renovations designed to revitalize Logan’s Landing have attracted new interest from vendors. Father-son duo Rick and Brandon Gamelin are set to open Now You’re Cooking at 2070 Suite A (located in the pyramid building) by next week. The store will be a “gourmet goods/culinary enthusiasts marketplace,” according to Opelski. At the end of May, Ian and Kim Kramer will launch new coffee shop and deli Kramer’s Bread & Butter at 2062 Suite C near the north end of the property. Opelski hopes the business will act as an anchor tenant that can help drive more foot traffic to other vendors – as well as attract trail users when the Boardman Lake Trail loop is completed by Logan’s Landing.

“It was always my goal to have some type of café and food service business here,” Opelski says. “We’re also in talks with a licensed baker to move in…and we are working to attract two more boutique retail tenants.” Logan’s Landing will host an open house for the two remaining retail spaces next to the new coffee shop on May 20 from 11am to 2pm.

East Bay Plaza
Five new tenants are coming to East Bay Plaza on Munson Avenue – part of a redevelopment project bringing two new buildings and close to 100 more parking spots to the property.

According to developer Tom McIntyre, nail salon Pro Nails and new Traverse City locations of Arby’s and Tropical Smoothie Cafe will open in the plaza in July. Superior Physical Therapy is also “opening soon” in the former Kim’s Hallmark Korner space, says McIntyre. Meanwhile, The Soup Cup announced last week it will close its doors at the Railroad Depot in order to relocate to East Bay Plaza. The eatery, which had its last day Saturday in the Depot, will reopen on Munson Avenue this fall. One more new tenant for East Bay Plaza will be announced at a future date, according to McIntyre.

Other businesses on the move…
Bradley’s Pub & Grille is celebrating its grand opening today (Monday) at the Interlochen Golf Course on US-31. The year-round eatery replaces the golf course’s former Hagen Room and features a complete remodel under new owner Brad Dean, who purchased the property in September. The sports-themed restaurant will offer 14 draft beer taps and a lunch and dinner menu highlighting BBQ and smoked foods. The restaurant will operate from 11am to 9pm.

Owner Sarah Landry Ryder has announced she is closing The Redheads Café and Tasting Room at 202 West Main Street in Lake Leelanau after 20 years in business. In an online letter to customers, Landry Ryder said she made the decision to focus on the production side of her business. Landry Ryder also plans to stop operating the Lil Leland Café within Leelanau Books, according to the announcement. The Redheads Café and Tasting Room will host an “end of an era” bash on Sunday, May 28 from 4pm to 8pm featuring free food, live music and more. Landry Ryder noted that popular restaurant employee Chef Fig will be “leasing the building from me to develop and create his own menu, his own restaurant using local and organic ingredients for breakfast and lunch,” with Fig’s menu items previewed at The Redheads’ closing bash.

Georgina’s owner Anthony Craig is looking for a new owner to take over his restaurant at 236 East Front Street. Craig recently listed the business for sale as a turn-key operation for $1.2 million, a sale price that includes all restaurant equipment and use of recipes at the Traverse City location (the deal does not include the building or real estate). Craig plans to focus his attention on his recently announced Grand Rapids restaurant and possible expansion into other larger markets. “I’ve scouted Chicago, Plymouth, Corktown, even Boston,” he says. “I have other concepts I want to create…I’m doing this to try and speed up my dreams and grow my business a lot faster.”

Restaurateurs looking for Traverse City space will also soon have two additional options on the market. Realtor Jason Elsenheimer of Coldwell Banker Schmidt just listed the former G’s Pizzeria building at 1500 US-31 for $949,000. The building was purchased by Todd and Beth Gokey in November as an investment property, with several major renovations made to the building prior to its new listing. Todd Gokey previously told The Ticker he envisioned selling the parcel for use as a new restaurant. Elsenheimer says another restaurant building owned by the Gokeys, Copper Falls on South Airport Road, is also planned to “go on the market this fall.”

The Dish Café is closed at 108 South Union Street while undergoing a several-week remodel. The company announced on its Facebook page that when the restaurant reopens this month, “The Dish is going to be brand new. We are keeping a lot of your favorites on the menu, but also adding some delicious new items.” City commissioners approved a redevelopment liquor license for The Dish in January, which will allow the restaurant to serve beer, wine and mixed drinks on-site once the license is approved by the state.

Four northern Michigan Wendy’s locations are set to receive remodels under new corporate ownership. National restaurant operator Meritage Hospitality Group announced in a recent press release it had acquired Wendy’s restaurants in Traverse City, Interlochen, Ludington and Manistee. “We intend to integrate each of the newly acquired locations into our unique web-based operating & accounting platform, followed by a remodeling program to update the restaurants and enhance the guest experience,” Meritage Hospitality Group CEO Robert Schermer Jr. said in a statement.

After 15 years in business, party supply store Party Giant is closing its doors at 1525 South Division Street in Traverse City. Owner Greg Keller says he was “unable to negotiate a lease with the landlord” to remain in the commercial plaza. The store’s last day will be June 17. “My wife and I are semi-retiring, but we’ll still be running our Halloween Superstores in northern Michigan,” says Keller, including an outpost at Traverse City’s Buffalo Ridge Center.